The use of mobile phones and other devices including some type of wireless communication functionality is widespread. Further development and deployment of devices including one or more types of wireless communication functionality continues due to a desire for devices that offer greater capabilities, convenience, and mobility. The proliferation of wireless communication devices offers the millions of users of such devices the ability and freedom to communicate with others and information services, typically without the constraints of a fixed location and time.
Numerous proposals have been made to standardize wireless communication protocols in an effort to obtain compatibility between various electronic devices, including devices from different manufacturers. Even in instances where the communication protocol(s) employed by the various devices have been established, the operation of a first device may be impacted or interfered with by the operation of another second device in close proximity of the first device. Therefore, standardization of communication protocols, restricting the use of each type of wireless communication to certain transmission frequency bandwidths and powers in a given geographic area, and other measures have been proposed and adopted in an effort to limit the radio frequency (“RF”) interference experienced between wireless communication and other devices.
Device manufactures, governing municipal regulatory agencies, consumer protections entities, and others may have a duty or interest in determining whether a particular device is susceptible to interference from a wireless communication device since some such RF interference may prevent the device from operating as it is intended or designed to operate. While improper operation of an electronic device such as a portable gaming device due to RF interference may primarily only cause an inconvenience, other instances of electronic devices operating improperly may raise greater concerns, including a safety concern for example. Medical equipment, aviation equipment, automobile navigation devices, and other types of devices being susceptible to interference from a wireless communication device may put the safety of a user or others at risk. Device manufactures, municipal regulatory agencies, and others may thus test wireless communication devices to determine whether they do in fact interfere with the operation of other devices.
The testing of the susceptibility of devices to interference from a wireless communication device often requires the use of specialized test equipment and a shielded test facility that isolates the specialized test equipment and devices under test from other possible interference contributing factors. However, the use of the specialized test equipment and the shielded test facility may be expensive, time consuming, and may not be representative of actual operational conditions the device under test for interference susceptibility may experience when being used by a user or consumer in a real-world environment.
The present inventors have now realized that it may be desirable to provide improved testing capabilities in a mobile wireless communication device, in connection with procedures in the mobile wireless communication device.